2015年12月1日
名字的意義 The Meaning of a Name
读经: 馬太福音1章18-25節
Reading: Matthew 1:18-25
你要給祂起名叫耶穌。-馬太福音1章21節
You are to give him the name Jesus. - Matthew 1:21
全年读经: 以西結書40-41章;彼得後書3章
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 40–41; 2 Peter 3
根據《紐約時報》報導，在許多非洲國家，父母為小孩命名，通常會以著名訪客、重大事件，或是父母覺得有意義的特殊境況來命名。當醫生向一名嬰孩的父母宣告，他們對嬰孩的疾病束手無策，唯有上帝知道嬰孩能否存活時，父母便將孩子取名為「上帝知道」。有另一個人說，他的名字叫「足夠」，因為他父母總共生了13個孩子，而他是最後一個！每個人的名字總有原因，而在某些情況下，有些名字更傳遞了特殊的意義。
耶穌降生前，主的使者告訴約瑟：「[馬利亞]將要生一個兒子，你要給祂起名叫耶穌，因祂要將自己的百姓從罪惡裡救出來」（馬太福音1章21節） 。「耶穌」是希臘文，等於希伯來文的「約書亞」，意思是「上帝拯救」。在那個時代，許多小孩都取名為耶穌，但只有一位主耶穌來到世上為我們死，並且使所有相信祂的人，得到永生，獲得赦免，並脫離罪的捆綁得到自由。
聖誕節將至，我們常會唱查理·衛斯理所寫的這首聖詩:「請來，久渴望的耶穌，降臨為拯救萬民；除掉我眾罪惡驚惶，讓我主內得安息。」
耶穌來使我們的黑暗轉成光明，使我們的絕望化為盼望，拯救我們脫離罪惡。
天父，我們藉著耶穌看見祢的大愛和無限的恩典。
我們相信祢的兒子耶穌降世，是為了拯救我們脫離罪惡。
耶穌的名字表明祂的使命──來拯救我們。
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According to a New York Times article, children in many African countries are often named after a famous visitor, special event, or circumstance that was meaningful to the parents. When doctors told the parents of one child that they could not cure the infant's illness and only God knew if he would live, the parents named their child Godknows. Another man said he was named Enough, because his mother had 13 children and he was the last one! There's a reason for everyone's name, and in some cases it also conveys a special meaning.
Before Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord told Joseph, "[Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." In that day and culture, many children would have been named Jesus, but only one came into this world to die so that all who receive Him might live eternally, forgiven and freed from the power of sin.
Charles Wesley wrote these words we often sing as Christmas nears: "Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee."
Jesus came to turn our darkness into light, to transform our despair into hope, and to save us from our sins.
Heavenly Father, in Jesus we see Your loving purpose and boundless grace. We humbly acknowledge Your Son as the One who came to save us from our sins.
Jesus' name and mission are the same—He came to save us.